Ambiguity in Modern Art
A Thought on the Evolution of Art
Ambiguous art can be beautiful, moving, and impactful. It is undeniably an important kind of art, and this is not an argument against it in any way. This article will be a look at how modernity has shaped art. Pre-modernity housed the creation of mostly teleological art — art with intent and purpose. Modernity has inspired a more ambiguous approach to art — more abstract and modern. My argument is that this is because of the changing philosophy of society and the secularization of communal thought. My argument is not that ambiguous art is bad. The loss of telos in art is non-consequential, however it is of great consequence in the overall thinking of society. It is important to note that while there are phases and transitions, there is never a clear cut moment where one begins and another ends in art. All kinds of art are being created still, including teleological art.
Pre-modernity was a time marked by religious thought and zeal. The philosophy of society thereby reflected this stance, boasting a strong belief in the telos of things — that is the purpose of them. This was arguably common thought of pre-modernity. This understanding stemmed directly from the religious beliefs held by society during this time, as they believed that God created mankind with purpose and intent. And since this was arguably the predominant way of thinking, it affected even the most seemingly disparate areas of pre-modern life — take for instance, the art of that time.
This well known painting by Michelangelo is a good example of how religious thought permutated art during pre-modernity. Because of this religious philosophy, teleology was a commonly understood concept that was constantly being transmuted into everything people did. It is fairly obvious what the intended subject of this painting is, and even perhaps the intended purpose of the painting was. This is a good example of the pre-modern understanding of telos bleeding through to every area of life — including the arts. Perhaps you are thinking that telos in art simply means it isn’t creative, but is firmly grounded in realism. I assure you this isnt true.
This is an example of both a creative and teleological piece of art. Acrimboldo depicts an allegory of winter using the persona of a human being. This is creative art that demonstrates strong telos, as it has purpose and intent from the author. It is entirely possible to create art in interesting ways, while still possessing strong telos. Art from this period is almost always marked by the religious thought of the age. This thought was grounded in teleology, or purpose, which grounded the art of this period — the Renaissance era of art.
The catalytic event that led to a slow removal of telos in art, is the Age of Enlightenment. This was a season of time that brought about a heavier emphasis on reason & logic, science & evidence. During this time, society was slowly led away from religion and the teleology that it possesses, into the age of Modernity. The secularization of thought led to a shift in almost every area, including art. Modernity saw the rise of Abstract art, which stems directly from the secularization of societal thought.
Delaunay was a French artist who created a great deal of Abstract art during the 20th century. This piece in particular, as well as many others in general, possesses a distinct lack in telos. A lack of telos does not mean that this piece of art is less artistic than the pieces from the Renaissance. It simply means that it is different. It posseses masterful usage of color, while bearing no semblance with any piece of nature. A lack of telos in art is non-consequential, whereas a lack of telos in society is of grave importance. This piece of art depicts a depature from telos bound art, and a movement toward more the more ambigious other. Another example of Abstract art that solidifies this distinct lack of telos is from Wassily Kandinsky.
Kandinsky was a Russian artist in the 20th century who also created a great deal of important Abstract art, such as this piece. “Composition VII” is a very influential piece of art, and is demonstrably void of telos, being rather ambiguous instead. This is an extremely fascinating piece of art that is prone to evoke varied responses from person to person. It showcases incredible use of color and shape, as wel as fantastic shading and blending. As can be seen in these two examples, the rise of secular thinking led to a distinct loss of teleology in societal thinking. While this loss of teleology is non-consequential in art, it is a result of a more serious loss in the thinking of society.
The Modern age developed a higher value of individuality in people, and a loss of teleological understanding in people. This is reflected in the unique aspect of Abstract art that makes it more an individual experience than usual, enabling the consumer to define the meaning for themselves. This is interesting in art, but dangerous in other areas. Modernity has led society away from the previously understood purpose of humanity — away from the religious roots of humankind. The art a person makes will often reflect the beliefs and soul of that person. This has been evidenced in the rise of modernity giving birth to Abstract art lacking telos. So while art lacking purpose — or telos — is not bad, it is a reflection of the belief and soul of society — purposelessness and ambiguity. After the age of Modernity came the age of Post-Modernity, or Liquid-Modernity, which again marked a visible transition in the realm of art. This current phase that society finds itself in has seen to a refocusing of thought. The focus has followed the road of individualism that was started in Modernity, and carried it to extremes. Because of this individualism that permeates secular thinking, art has come to be whatever any person wants it to be. This is mostly a beautiful thing in art, but again it is the evidence of a deep-seated problem. The thinking of Post-Modernity has brought about a deterioration of the societal understanding of truth — making truth entirely subjective. It is no surprise then that art has followed this line of thinking, into the realm of subjectivity. Art has evolved in accordance with the devolving thought and understanding of society.
*Images courtesy of Wikipedia
